Thursday, April 12, 2012

Who Wants Free Underwear?

Back in early February, I attended the birthday party of one of my best friends, Michelle. At this party, I met a fabulous lady named Kori. We got to talking about this and that and she mentioned that she has an Etsy shop from which she sells ADORABLE upcycled underwear made from old t-shirts (which she appropriately named "Upitees"). I asked her if she would be interested in doing a giveaway on my blog and she happily agreed!

After reading more about Kori's background, I was really impressed by her philosophy and tremendous talent. Here is an interview I did with her to give you a better idea of what she's all about:

How did you come up with the name for your shop?

My
best friend came up with it; orange is my favorite color and on a good day I
speak fluent French. But it's super
fitting in other ways as well. In
French, la vie en rose is about looking at life through rose colored glasses
and seeing this hyper-beautiful reality.
I like to think that my company and its products are a little bit like
that too, only brighter, a little bit sun-shine-ier. :)

Like
anything, it's a work in progress. Right
now, I'm really focusing on limiting my consumption- making do with what I have
and buying second hand when possible.
The Goodwill and the RE Store are strategically close to my home... :) I am also committed to shopping locally and
independently- my husband and I live at the Ballard farmers market (I used to
work on an organic farm myself), the Essential Baking Company, and I love Kick It Boots and Stompwear.
I've only been in Seattle for a couple of years, so I'm still doing a
lot of exploring and working to build community.

I
also buy handmade to support other entrepreneurs and artists as a first resort-
my wedding was just this summer and fellow Seattle Etsyians Bumbershoot Designs did my earrings, while Beautanicals did a chalk board for our guest book. So many other
Etsyians helped make our day special- Amanda Archer did our sweet and flattering bridesmaids dresses, while Secret Safe Books did our groomsmen's gifts, Little Wee Shop did our ring bearer's “pillow” and Frame It by Jill did a picture frame we couldn't live without. It feels good to support other artists and
artisans who are earning money doing what they love!

Why underwear?

Because it feels further removed
from the cycle of consumerism than other articles of clothing... I studied fashion in college and had trouble
reconciling my art with the consumerism and environmental impact associated
with it. I still sometimes feel
overwhelmed by the impact of fashion – from trends (and therefore products)
that last only three months, the environmental impact of discarding the same
products, the bleaching and disposal of fabrics, to the dependence on cheap
labor and unsustainable labor practices.
But I still love how everyone uses it to express themselves, and I love
how, in its highest form, it is fine art.

Lingerie is so beautiful and can be
so empowering. It can be fine art. I wanted to find a way to still be empowering
but honor my commitment to sustainability. Cotton undies feel like a necessity. Underwear made from tshirts lasts for a
loooooong time, and I feel really good about that. It's also intimate- there's a lot of trust
involved, and I really like the connections I've made and the conversations
I've been having while exploring how undies fit or don't fit, and what the
amazing different ladies in my life need.

Who or what inspires you?

Friends,
toothy grins, black and white films, bad pop music (it's totally my favorite
guilty pleasure). Lately I've been
loving the exhibits coming through the Nordic Heritage Museum, but I swear I spend time in places
other than Ballard! :) Life.
Love. The Olympic Peninsula. The
waterfront. Photosynthesis (did I mention I need the sun to grow?). Fits of laughter.

How would you like to see your business grow?

Such an exciting question! I'm working on adding new products, like
ladies' briefs, and eventually I'd love to add men's undies too. I've also been giving lots of thought to
bras, slips, and other undergarments made from repurposed clothing. I am also excited to be working on the
expansion of my size chart- I think that everyone deserves clothing that fits
well and makes them feel good, and I think the market sometimes overlooks folks
who might have unique fit challenges. I
really want my products to be inclusive, and I've been working to stretch my
size chart so I offer many sizes (Right now, I offer sizes 0-16, but I'm
looking for fit models
in sizes 18 & 20- want a free pair of undies?).

My next step in that arena is to start making
undies that are designed for specific body types, like pear and apple shapes
(so maybe you'd wear a 12 pear or a 14 apple?)
I think it's super fun, and could be amazing for the unique fit
challenges women face. I'm still working on it, but really excited about the
possibilities!

Eventually, I'd love to do this full time. I'm hoping to expand some of the other
services I offer, like sewing lessons, both private and group, and custom
sewing. I've done everything from wedding
dresses to copying clothing, and I really love working with individual clients. It takes an adventurous and imaginative soul
to take a leap of faith like that. :)

Pretty cool, huh? And she's giving away a pair of her adorable, super comfy undies* to one of you lucky readers! The winner will receive a pair from Kori's Eiffel Tower series in her size and choice of color.

Also, Unknown above is Becca. She says on my facebook page, "Darn! I'm 'unknown'! And I should still be in the running even though I don't know how to use twitter or comment on blogs :) Love you and your undies! ♥"